We recently connected with Kelsie Jones and have shared our conversation below.
Kelsie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
Starting my photography journey was much more of an accident than an actual executed career path. I bought a used DSLR camera (a $250 Nikon D3100) off of Facebook Marketplace in 2014. I brought it home to play in hopes of finding an outlet in photography since I hated my corporate job.
I did free sessions for YEARS, limited to friends and family just to make a hobby of it. I watched almost every YouTube video about my camera I could find. It’s funny to think back on because the first time I switched my camera into Manual mode, the screen went black and I thought I broke it. Turns out, I just had no clue how a camera functioned at that point.
I signed up for free online seminars taught by successful photographers. I even remember sitting in my condo on a beach vacation one year logging in to a 6:30pm online “lighting” class while everyone on the trip was getting ready to leave for dinner.
Every time I stepped out the door to do another session, I never sought out to collect money – but just to do better on this set of images than the last.
When 2020 shocked the world and many venues + photographers were cancelling wedding contracts due to the spread of COVID – I had a few friends reach out wanting to elope and needing “a friend with a camera” to capture it. After 3 weddings in the fall of 2020, I decided to throw my hat in the ring. I had enough content between those 3 weddings + all the families and couples I had photographed to make a full portfolio and booked 17 weddings in 2021, followed by 39 in 2022 and 51 in 2023.
Believing in myself was 80% of the battle and I still struggle with thoughts that I’m an imposter in the sea of wedding vendors. The truth is, I love this life I live. I love the couples who allow me the honor and I’m so meant for this career.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Having moved to a niche where I only photograph weddings, I have branded myself as ‘an honorary bridesmaid with a nice camera.’ My online presence might seem a little goofy but I’m literally ALWAYS having fun and making lifelong friends with the couples I photograph.
My couples describe me as “a bright happy light” on a wedding day, bringing “peace and calm to the chaos” and “sunshine vibes” to the day.
I want to treat all my couples like they hired their best friend to tag along for their wedding day. I’m a seasoned professional but I’m not the stuffy, no-personality-having girl holding a Sony in the corner of the room. I will get the job done and carry myself like the high quality wedding photographer you hoped to hire. I’m also going to laugh with you and cry with you.
I want all your wedding dreams to come true. If you wish for something on your wedding day, I look at it as my personal responsibility to make it happen. I learn all your wedding parties’ names + I call them out on the dance floor. Seriously, the way I’d treat my best friend on her wedding day, is exactly how I show up to treat you.
Boudoir photography is also an added service to my wedding packages that allow you to surprise your significant other with the gift of YOU in a little black book on your wedding day.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
The algorithm is ever changing, so taking social media too seriously is an insane business tactic. Businesses are built by word of mouth. Clients seek you out when you do your job in a way that SAYS that you love it.
My social media following is purely from being an absolute idi*t. Don’t be afraid to just post stuff. Anything. People love and follow accounts that they feel like are backed by actual human beings. Instead of looking at social media like a window into a corporate, business, contract-writing version of you – post about who you are as a human. Be stupid.
The accounts that I love most are the ones that I think are cool people – regardless of their work, regardless of their posting strategies, regardless of how successful their businesses are.
There’s an account I follow right now who set out to be a home decor account and now she just posts herself doing everything under the sun including cooking, agitating her significant other, scaring her cat – but she’s authentic and people love her for it.
Bottom line, just be you. Post YOU. Share YOU.
*Pretty Instagram Grids help a ton though too. Plan your feed so your squares reflect cohesiveness.
Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?
The word KLUTZ and Kelsie go together hand-in-hand. I have fallen SO much when I’m working.
There was a time when I was photographing horses unrestrained on open land. They had made their way to a little forest of trees in the back of the property that covered up a very slow flowing creek. I didn’t want to disturb them but the light was AMAZING coming from one side of the creek and to get it right, I needed to basically climb a large hill to the other side of the water.
With that being said, I had a very expensive camera in hand and decided to brave the hill for the shot. Went to grab a branch on a tree to keep my leverage. Turns out it was a dead branch and broke right off the tree. BY THE GRACE OF THE GOOD LORD HIMSELF – I was able to keep myself from falling down that entire cliff side and not land in the middle of the deep spot in the creek.
There are 10,000 of these stories I could tell you. I fell backwards off a chair during family portraits at a wedding and had a bruise the size of Texas on my backside but held my camera straight up in the air to make sure it didn’t hit the concrete. I almost spilled Chick-Fil-A sauce on a wedding dress once. You live and you learn and God’s on your side so you survive the near death parts of the journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kelsiejones.com
- Instagram: @kelsiejonesphoto
- Facebook: @kelsiejonesphoto